Duffy visits LaGuardia Airport where air traffic controllers miss 1st full paycheck
EAST ELMHURST, Queens (WABC) -- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy visited LaGuardia Airport to sound the alarm about the impacts of the government shutdown, as air traffic controllers miss their first full paycheck on Tuesday.
As the government shutdown enters its 28th day with no end in sight, Tuesday marks the first day that air traffic controllers received a paycheck with nothing in it, forcing some to take on second jobs.
"You heard the stories of controllers working at Uber or DoorDash, a controller who might go a to food bank to help make ends meet," Duffy said.
Officials say it's the younger, newer air traffic controllers, the very ones being recruited to make up for previous staffing shortages, who are least equipped to wait out a government shutdown without a paycheck.
"Speaking on behalf of the air traffic controllers in the New York area, the most congested, complex airspace. We have trainees who are trying to learn a new job that is very fast-paced, very stressful, very complex, now having to worry about how they're going to pay bills," said Joe Segretto, an air traffic controller.
According to the transportation secretary, this past Sunday, 44% of flight delays were associated with staffing shortages, and 24% on Monday. Duffy stressing the numbers are moving day-by-day and vary by location.
Duffy's visit comes as members of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association handed out information leaflets to travelers at airports, including LaGuardia. NATCA President Nick Daniels says the situation is dire.
"America's air traffic controllers are now having to focus on how do they put gas in the car, how do they take care of their children, how do they pay for childcare," Daniels said.
At LaGuardia, Eyewitness News saw a few minor delays on the big board, and some were weather-related. But fearing the worst, travelers like Matt Cappello almost changed plans.
"I was worried about it. Yeah, I thought about delaying the trip," Capello said.
So far, Capello's flight is on time.
"Not necessarily out of the woods yet, but so far so good," he said.
Meanwhile, Duffy says airports in the Tri-State area have not fared as badly as others.
"New York has not been like L.A. or Atlanta, where we had more significant delays," Duffy said.
Other travelers say they are sympathetic to the air traffic controllers.
"Essential employees like that should get paid, especially if they're showing up to work. I show up to work, I get paid. They show up to work, they should get paid. And obviously, this place can't run without them," one man told Eyewitness News.
The transportation secretary says he is often asked whether it is safe to fly during a government shutdown. Duffy says it is absolutely safe as ever, but security comes first, and flights will always be delayed before taking off without sufficient staffing in place.
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